Caveman Politics

How evolution impacts politics.

by Gregg Murray, Ph.D.

On One Hand You’re an Authoritarian, on the Other Hand You’re Not

If you’re like me, this is a connection you would have never made in a million years. But in the discussion about the effect of biology on political attitudes and behavior, this is evidence that “hard-wiring” literally is involved. Read More

Are You Easily Disgusted? You May Be a Conservative

I happened upon a TV ad one day last week that I found particularly disturbing. And it wasn't by a sleazy politician slinging mud at my favorite presidential candidate. Read More

What Kind of Ancestral Leader Are You Most Like?

What kind of ancestral leader are you most like? Evolutionary Leadership Theory identifies six leadership functions carried out in ancestral groups that serve as leadership prototypes today. Read More

Are You Sure We Prefer Taller Leaders?

Previously, I discussed a study resulting from a conversation with my 6’7” co-author about whether voters like their presidents to be tall. (Yes, my co-author was pleased to find.) In this post, I take the perspective of potential leaders. Maybe followers are not necessarily looking for taller leaders, maybe taller people are more likely to volunteer to lead. Read More

Do We Really Prefer Taller Leaders?

When a 5’9” professor (that would be me) talks with his 6’7” graduate student (that would be Dave Schmitz, my co-author), it is not surprising that height emerges as a topic of conversation. In our case, the conversation one day turned to the fact that the taller candidate has won the popular vote in 67% of all U.S. presidential elections. Read More